2026 #1
A Quick Hello
It's been almost a year at The Mailbox Club. I graduated from Valdosta State University last summer. My post graduation plans where entirely different than what God had for me at this job. I'd planned on joining the IMB to take part in Project 3000 where I would be backpacking through the jungles of India or Africa in order to reach people groups of which had never heard the gospel.
Instead, God saw fit to use my tech skills (an answered prayer) where I have subsequently found myself, ironically, in rural parts of Africa in Tanzania witnessing The Mailbox Club in action, with plans of going to India June of this year! God saw it fit to put to good use the skills I have in joining His ministry of reconciliation and so I can only quote a cherished peer of mine when I say "BUT GOD" had better plans for me after leaving college. This letter is my attempt to catch you up on what God's call to ministry has looked like in my life so far.
404 Eager Rd
My title is information systems, and I work out of the USA office in Valdosta. I build and maintain MSI, the web application our international partners use to track Bible lessons and student data across 80+ countries. Some of my regular contacts consist of Carel from South Africa and Kiki from Indonesia so it's always fun. I also work inside our CRM with the team handling fundraising and donor relationships in the U.S. Some days that means development. Other days it means data sanitization, staff training, foundation reports, QA, and general IT. Our director John-Mark likes to say we wear many hats as the work dictates, and that has been true from week one. The common thread is that every idea I touch eventually connects back to a child receiving a Bible course somewhere in the world. I cannot express what a privilege it is to serve alongside local partners around the globe reaching children of every tribe and tongue for Christ!
Tanzania
Last year I went on a mission trip to Tanzania, and it was the first time I saw the ministry from the other end of the pipeline. We met some fantastic partners, visited schools where material was being used in classrooms, and met the staff who actually coordinate movement materials to over 5 million students in Africa alone. Watching the logistics up close, how lessons get printed, distributed, graded, and tracked through every layer of the operation, definitely helped me understand the practicalities of the ministry but I was completely changed with the knowledge that children around the world need to hear the gospel and continue in discipleship now more than ever.
Thailand: The Asia Conference
In March I flew to Hong Kong and Thailand for our Asia regional conference. Leaders from across the continent were in one room, which is rare, and I got to listen to how the ministry actually operates in countries where Christianity is a minority faith and logistics are difficult. My role was to address some of the systemic technology needs across the region: what's working, what isn't, and what we can build to make their jobs easier. Walking out of that week, I had a much clearer picture of how a ministry works across that many languages, governments, and contexts.
2026: El Salvador & India
Last week I headed to El Salvador with Omar to lead a training, among others, at our Latin America regional conference. My focus was helping directors get more out of the web application. We worked through, things like better translations, cleaner data entry, and I taught the core workflows to save them time. I'm looking forward to continue working with the Latin America team directly as there are many opportunities brewing both in the school systems of Dominican Republic and Argentina!
In June I'll be heading to India with the team. Over 6 million children there are going through Bible lessons through local churches, and we'll be on the ground with our partners serving alongside them. India has been one of the largest and fastest-growing fields for The Mailbox Club. We're also pursuing partnerships with other ministries for student onboarding and recruitment into clubs, with our web application reporting back to those partners on the fruit of the work. Getting to see all of this firsthand will shape how I support it from the office for years to come.
How You Can Pray
A few specific things if you're willing:
That the LA Conference has encouraged and equipped leaders to ministry
For safety, focus, and openness on the India trip in June
For the kids on the receiving end of every lesson, that the Gospel does what only the Gospel can do
For wisdom to strive in being hyper focused on the gospel with every opportunity
Thanks
Thank you for reading this far, for praying, and for caring about what I'm up to. It has been a blessing and an answered prayer to use my passion for tech to make a Gospel impact. Please send me any prayer requests or if you want to chat!
Mark